Arcade Building (Brookline, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Arcade Building
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 314–320A Harvard St., Brookline, Massachusetts |
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| Architect | Jacobs, George N. |
| Architectural style | Commercial Gothic |
| MPS | Brookline MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003247 |
| Added to NRHP | October 17, 1985 |
The Arcade Building is a cool old building located at 314–320A Harvard Street in Brookline, Massachusetts. It was built in 1926 and is special because it's the only building in Brookline with an "arcade" inside. An arcade is like a covered walkway with shops on both sides. This building is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
What Makes the Arcade Building Special?
The Arcade Building stands on Harvard Street, a busy road in eastern Brookline. It's found near Coolidge Corner, which is a popular shopping area in town. This building has two stories and is made from concrete and a material called "cast stone." Cast stone looks like natural stone but is made by pouring concrete into molds.
Inside the Arcade Building
The front of the building has a decorative band at the top. This band is called a "frieze" and is made from precast concrete. It has cool Gothic-style pointy parts above each of its five sections.
Inside, the building has a long, tall space called an "atrium." This atrium goes up two stories and has a skylight, letting in lots of natural light. On both sides of the atrium, you'll find small shops on two different levels. Many of the original parts and decorations inside the building are still there today.
A Bit of History
The Arcade Building was built in 1926. A local real estate developer named Johnson had it built. The design for the building was created by an architect named George N. Jacobs.
It's the only building of its kind in Brookline. It reminds people of much larger shopping arcades, like the Westminster Arcade in Providence, Rhode Island. That one was the very first enclosed shopping arcade in the United States!
When the Arcade Building was built, Harvard Street was changing a lot. It used to have mostly homes, but it was quickly becoming a busy area with more shops and businesses. Today, the Arcade Building still has shops and offices inside, just like it did almost 100 years ago.
